We’re two weeks into the NFL season, and teams are starting to take shape.

While there’s still plenty of football left to play, injuries to deal with, and guys who will continue to improve, two weeks is enough to get a glimpse of what the season could look like for certain players.

Every season, we see guys who start off hot and cool down, and we see others who start slow and heat up when it matters most.

But today, I wanna focus on three quarterbacks who are off to a strong start and why I think their success will stick:

• Sam Darnold’s Hot Start

• Derek Carr and the Saints Are Rolling

• Kyler Murray is the Playmaker to Watch

Sam Darnold’s Hot Start: Why It’s Not Just a Flash in the Pan

The first name on the list? Sam Darnold from the Minnesota Vikings.

Now, I’ve talked a lot about Sam in the past. As we sit here with the Vikings at 2-0, it’s clear that Sam has found himself in a system that’s allowing him to play winning football.

And while he's not breaking records with his stats which you do not need to do, you need to play winning football.

It’s about playing smart, efficient football, and that’s exactly what Sam is doing right now.

Playing His Former Team

In Week 2, the Vikings were underdogs—6 or 7 points, depending on where you looked—against his former team, the San Francisco 49ers.

The Niners are a tough out for anyone, even if Christian McCaffrey is on the sidelines. But Sam went 17 of 26 for 268 yards, throwing two touchdowns and one interception. He also added five carries for 32 yards on the ground.

Now, that 32 yards might not jump off the stat sheet, but here’s the thing: when you’re averaging 6.4 yards per carry as a quarterback, that’s a game-changer.

What those five runs tell me is that Sam extended drives—three, four, even five times where the play was dead, and he created a first down on his own.

Defensive coordinators hate that; offensive coordinators love it. That’s the kind of football that wins games.

Tip Your Hat To The Defense

Let’s talk about the pick. Sure, nobody likes interceptions, but let’s be real—Fred Warner is a freak of nature who makes ridiculous plays all the time.

Sometimes, you tip your hat to the defense. The bigger story here is Sam’s efficiency—more touchdowns than picks, two weeks in a row.

And then there’s that 97-yard touchdown pass we’ve all seen by now.

That’s where you see the underrated part of Sam’s game: his athleticism and arm strength. That ball traveled 60 yards in the air and was perfectly placed in stride. 

A Tough Road Ahead

The Vikings have a tough road ahead with Green Bay, Houston, and the Jets coming up.

But when you start the season by beating the 49ers, you’ve got some wind in your sails.

So, give credit where it’s due: Sam Darnold is off to a hot start, and I don’t see it cooling off anytime soon.

Flowers for Sam Darnold.

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Derek Carr’s Surprising Start: The Saints Are Rolling

When people hear "Derek Carr" and "hot start," a lot of them might raise an eyebrow.

Some people probably expected the Saints to be in the conversation for a new quarterback in the upcoming draft.

But, as we sit here two weeks into the NFL season, Derek Carr is surprising a lot of folks. The New Orleans Saints are sitting at 2-0, and if you’ve been watching, you know Carr is playing winning football, backed by a strong run game and a defense that’s been making life hard for their opponents.

Week 1 kicked off with the Saints absolutely hammering the Panthers, 47-10.

Then, in Week 2, they go into Dallas—where the Cowboys were favored—and put on another dominant performance, winning 44-19. 

What Stands Out

So, let’s talk about Carr’s stat line. In Week 2, he goes 11 for 16 for 243 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

Not a huge volume of passing, but that’s beacuse the Saints were running the ball down the Cowboys’ throat. Alvin Kamara had a day with 20 carries for 115 yards, helping control the pace of the game.

Carr didn’t need to throw the ball 30 or 40 times—he played smart, efficient football. Add in a rushing touchdown, and Carr had three total touchdowns accounted for, with just one turnover in what turned into a blowout.

Here’s what stands out to me: Derek Carr is playing with the kind of confidence that says he could care less what anyone thinks of him.

He’s letting the game come to him, making big plays when he needs to, and relying on the pieces around him to do their part.

Kamara is making explosive plays in both the run and passing game. Chris Olave is stepping up as a playmaker in the passing game.

This Saints team has weapons all over the field, and Carr is using them wisely.

A Top-Tier Schedule Coming Up

The Saints have the Eagles up next, followed by divisional games at Atlanta and against the Bucs.

And then they’ve got the Chiefs, who we all know are as dangerous as any team in the league. Three of the next four games are against top-tier opponents, so Carr is going to face some challenges in the coming weeks.

But here’s the thing: this is a Saints team built on balance. Their defense is physical and fast, their run game is humming, and Derek Carr is playing efficient football.

That’s a recipe for success, especially early in the season when some teams are still figuring out their identity.

Derek Carr has his team sitting at the top of their division, and he’s doing exactly what the Saints need from him.

Flowers for Derek Carr—he’s proving the doubters wrong, and the Saints are rolling.

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Kyler Murray: The Playmaker Everyone Should Be Watching

When it comes to Kyler Murray, there are always questions.

People love to question his personality, his leadership style, what he wears, and what he says off the field.

But let me tell you something about the NFL: when you start playing at a high level, all of that noise fades away.

And right now, Kyler Murray is playing at a level where the only thing we should be talking about is how dangerous he’s becoming on the field.

An Electric Start

In two games, Murray has been electric.

Let’s take a closer look at his Week 2 performance: 17 for 21, 266 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. That’s what I call super efficient.

Add to that his ability to run the ball, with five carries for 59 yards, averaging 11.8 yards per carry.

That’s almost 12 yards every time he tucks it and takes off.

Defenses hate that because it breaks their back—it takes the air out of the building when a QB moves the chains with his legs, especially when you think you've got him locked up.

Now, the Arizona Cardinals might be sitting at 1-1, but this record doesn’t tell the whole story.

Let’s not forget they had a 14-point lead on the road against Buffalo before Josh Allen's late-game heroics stole that win from them.

The Cardinals were just a few plays away from being 2-0. What’s making this even more interesting is that Arizona’s defense, led by Jonathan Gannon, isn’t getting the recognition it deserves.

They’re playing tough football, and that’s helping give Murray the freedom to do his thing.

A Crucial Stretch Ahead

The next few weeks will be crucial for Kyler and the Cardinals.

They’ve got a tough stretch ahead with games against the Lions, Commanders, 49ers, Packers, and Chargers.

But if Kyler keeps playing the way he is, every one of those teams is going to have their hands full. And here's the thing about Murray—he’s not just beating teams with his legs and his ability to extend plays.

His accuracy, decision-making, and ball placement are giving defenses nightmares. When you’ve got a quarterback who can make the throws and take off for a 15-yard gain on third-and-long, defensive coordinators lose sleep.

Dan Orlovsky even called Murray a "top-five player in the league" after his performance yesterday, pointing out just how impressive his tape is right now.

Flowers for Kyler Murray, and let’s see how this story continues to unfold.

So, here we are—two weeks in, and three players who weren’t necessarily in the spotlight before the season began are making waves.

Kyler Murray, Derek Carr, and Sam Darnold are all playing some of their best football, and it’s time everyone starts paying attention. 

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